Inmarsat Chosen for Chicago Yacht Race

Inmarsat, a provider of global mobile satellite communications services, will serve as the official broadband provider for the 107th running of the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. Fans of the race will be able to follow the teams in real-time as a small group of on-board commentators will upload high-resolution pictures and video to Facebook and Twitter via Inmarsat’s mobile satellite communications network throughout the race.

Building on the success of the Volvo Ocean Race, made possible by Inmarsat’s reliable satellite connectivity, the company is an official race sponsor for the mid-summer classic 333-mile race from Chicago to Mackinac Island, beginning Friday, July 10, 2015.

Matt Knighton, Onboard Reporter for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing during the 2014-15 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race, and winner of the Inmarsat Onboard Reporter Award, will be racing on Chicago Yacht Club member Mark Hauf’s Transpac 52 Imedi. “In the Volvo Ocean Race, Inmarsat enabled us to send quality media from the most remote corners of the ocean, so the public could live the race through our eyes. It never ceases to amaze me how their systems can make the world feel like a smaller place,” said Knighton.

“Being able to connect the racers back to shore, with the latest race statistics and pictures will give race followers real-time insight into how the competitors are faring. At Inmarsat we are proud to support the sailing industry with world-class, proven communications including FleetBroadband and Fleet One, which is specifically designed for small leisure vessels,” said Ronald Spithout, President Inmarsat Maritime.